First Row

Sydney Fashion Festival is upon us and no, unfortunately I'm not going. But if I was going, and if I was sitting in the front row, and if I could afford this outfit, then this is what I would probably wear.

It's a nice mix of some of my favourite Australian designers with a bit of Lanvin thrown in for good measure. I'm not a flashy kind of girl and much prefer understated and classic pieces. Emmanuelle Alt and sometimes Sarah Ruston do it really well.

As for moi, well... there's always next year!

All items from farfetch:
Ginger & Smart camisol  /  Dion Lee skirt  /  Jérome Dreyfuss bag  /  Alice & Olivia jacket  /  Lanvin sandals

Designer style on sale

I absolutely love designer clothing but can only afford to buy on sale or second hand. My wardrobe is therefore a mix of high street brands (especially Zara) with some designer items thrown in for good measure. 

Last year I decided to buy less items but better quality and it seems to be working for me.

Since the price tag is higher I consider what I buy very carefully and tend to pick more timeless pieces which will last several seasons. I occasionally miss out on some items because I wait for the sales but so far there have very been few regret buys.

The items above are on sale at the moment so maybe you could snap yourself a nice little wardrobe piece too:

1. &Daughter slouch sweater at Matches

2. T by Alexander Wang linen & silk tank top at Matches 

3. MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela slim denim pant at Steven Alan 

4. Smythson Panama leather box clutch at Matches

5. Giles & Brother Spike railroad cuff at The Outnet 

6. Pour la Victoire Yaya sandals at Nieman Marcus.

Casually dressed up

Whenever you need to up your casual look that little bit more, simply swap the jeans for a pair of smartish work pants (with or without pleats), roll up the hem neatly to ankle height, tuck in your shirt or t-shirt and off you go!
All pics via Smoky Alice.

Loafers are forever

I believe that loafers are here to stay and therefore they are a good investment piece for any shoe collection. 

Let me give you my reasons:

1. Loafers offer a classic look that has never really gone out of style.

2. They are versatile and can be worn with slim pants, wide leg pants, skirts, dresses, jeans, or anything really.

3. They are comfortable for days on the go.

4. Some styles come with tassels (and that's a big plus as far as I'm concerned).

5. There are many loafer styles to suit individual taste.

So now that you're inspired, here are my favourite classic loafer picks:

For a more modern loafer try The modern Loafer by Everlane (there's a waiting list!) and The Gaston tassel loafer by Dieppa Restrepo.

The return of the Smiths

I might be showing my age here (and I have no problem with that!) but Adidas Stan Smiths were very big when I was in high school. All the cool kids were wearing them, but I wasn't one of them because I couldn't afford a pair. They have been my no. 1 most favourite sneakers ever since.

Fast forward many years later, I spotted a pair in white and blue tab with three velcro straps, on sale. I purchased the immediately even though they were a little too small. They are still sitting in my cupboard waiting for my feet to shrink a bit.

So now that they have made a huge comeback (Thank you Phoebe Philo!) and all the cool kids are wearing them again, maybe it's time for me to get a pair. It's never too late to be cool!

Outfit pics via The Urban Spotter & Andy Heart.

The unfinished bun

So happy to see that my hair style of choice is finally an acceptable form of, well... hairstyle. It takes less than 30 seconds to do which means I'm not as late for work as I would have been otherwise.

What to wear to work

If you haven't guessed by now, my wardrobe mainly consists of black, white, grey and navy. So it's little surprise that my work outfits are often just classic black and white.
For an easy 'I'm so late' outfit that won't look like you just got out of bed simply combine a cropped black pant, a white blouse and a black jacket and off you go!

Easy outfits: The white tee

I usually pick my outfits in the morning when I wake up. I lie in bed for a little bit and think about how I feel and what kind of day I'm expecting. Some days I make up my mind really quickly but some days I get really stuck and change my mind a million times.
But I think I have just found a cure for those 'stuck' days. Throw on a white tee, cropped pant and pointy heels and voila! A totally awesome outfit in 5 seconds!

Outfit inspiration : J Crew on sale

I have a bit of a soft spot for J Crew and an even bigger soft spot for Jenna Lyons. I find her sense of style and natural grace very appealing.
So when I received the email announcing an extra 40% off sale styles online I couldn't help but have a look, and once I saw the shearling satchel I just had to build an entire outfit to go with it.

All of the items are on sale with an extra 40% off with code STYLE2015.
Oh, I should probably mention that this post is not sponsored, just me getting a little bit excited.

1. Sweater from sweatshirt,  2. Shiny puffer down vest,  3.  Lookout high-rise jeans,  4. Chunky stone ring,  5. Beveled bangle,  6. And this amazing shearling satchel!

The LWD

I've been looking at outfits for NYE and the Little White Dress has won me over. It's fresh and crisp and perfect for making a new start for 2015.

These two dresses are from the Dreslyn. Top: Mason by Michelle Mason shift dress. Bottom: Opening Ceremony Manera keyhole dress.
Although not white, I also absolutely love this Delane dress by Rachel Comey.

Warm and Grey

Grey marle and knitwear. Such a wonderful combination. Say no more.

Here are some of my favourite pieces: Geometric sweater by Oak, Zara mohair sweater, knitwear by &Daughter, this Helmut Lang sweater, Alexander Wang structured cashmere sweater, This Madewell sweater and finally this amazing chunky MM6 knit.

Last minute gift ideas: The monochrome edition

Gift ideas for him:
1. The Winston woven watch by Komono at Need Supply,  2. Saturdays Surf NYC tee at Mr Porter,  3. Cone music player by Aether,  4. ipad mini envelope sleeve by Mujjo,  5. The twill snap backpack by Everlane,  6. Norse projects beanie at Need Supply.

Gift ideas for her:
1. The modern loafer by Everlane,  2. Folded purse by Clare V at Need Supply.  3. Printed mesh scarf by Country Road,  4. Balenciaga bow ring at Matches,  5. Luggage tag at Madewell,  6. Mimi beanie by Eugenia Kim at Matches.

Long black

Lets just for a minute ignore the fact that I have been neglecting my blog and get on with it.
So...long, flowing, pretty, maxi skirt is what I get excited about these days. Better yet, make it a plisé and I go totally weak at the knees. I like it styled with oxfords or boots for a not-too-feminine look but last Tuesday I wore mine with pointy d'orsay pumps to work and by golly it looked awesome.
Get the look:
Zara maxi skirt, Alexander Wang scuba jumper, Chloé studded boots, Rebecca Minkof Sammy bag, Fay Andrada Rele bracelet. Also these boots are worth consideration.

My favourite colours

Nerd boyfriend's cousin is getting married next year so I offered to help with designing the invitations. When we met over coffee (and delicious homemade bread with jam) to discuss some ideas, she mentioned that she had recently researched online to find out which colours would suit her best.

It made me think about my favourite colours and for a little while I felt somewhat bland.  My favourite colour is grey marle followed by black, white and navy. My wardrobe looks very monochrome, but then everything goes with everything.

In the past I've tried to introduce colour into my life. Like the red dress I wore to a wedding and haven't worn since, or the bright striped top that was going to change my life and ended up in the opp shop pile after 1 wear in 3 years.

This year though, I have decided to accept me as I am, monochrome and all. I only buy my favourite colours and sometimes even wear head-to-toe grey marle. I call it my 3 shades of grey outfit.
My colour choice makes me feel stylish and sophisticated and sometimes even a bit like Emmanuelle Alt (but shorter) so what's wrong with that?

Current obsession: Full skirt

 

Over the past few months I have developed a full blown obsession with full skirts, especially the navy skirt from Organic by John Patrick (3rd picture from top). 

Timeless and versatile, the full skirt suits most body shapes and looks good at any length. 

For more glamourous inspiration I highly recommend to check out Martin Grant's Fall/Winter 2014 collection.

Things I bought in Japan : Part 1

Nerd boyfriend and I have recently returned from our first ever trip to Japan. It's a beautiful, incredibly clean and super-organised country so I immediately loved it. The Japanese are such welcoming and friendly people and have a quirky and adorable sense of humour. I'm already looking forward to going back.

One of my highlights was shopping in Tokyo (without nerd boyfriend of course) so I thought it would be nice to share my various purchases with you in a series of posts.